Dummy Head for Electronic Calls

ABSTRACT

A method captures binaural sound of a voice of a first user with microphones located at left and rights ears of a dummy head. The dummy head transmits the voice of the first user to a portable electronic device with or near the first user. This portable electronic device transmits the binaural sound over one or more networks to another electronic device being used by a second user to communicate with the first user during the electronic call.

BACKGROUND

Three-dimensional (3D) sound localization offers people a wealth of newtechnological avenues to not merely communicate with each other but alsoto communicate with electronic devices, software programs, andprocesses.

As this technology develops, challenges will arise with regard to howsound localization integrates into the modern era. Example embodimentsoffer solutions to some of these challenges and assist in providingtechnological advancements in methods and apparatus using 3D soundlocalization.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a method to capture and provide binaural sound with a dummyhead during an electronic call between two users in accordance with anexample embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a method to start and stop capturing and/or transmittingbinaural sound with a dummy head during an electronic call between twousers in accordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a dummy head with a left microphone located in a left ear anda right microphone located in a right ear in accordance with an exampleembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a dummy head with electronic components in accordance with anexample embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an electronic system in accordance with an example embodiment.

SUMMARY

One example embodiment is a dummy head that captures and transmitsbinaural sound to a portable electronic device during an electroniccall.

One example embodiment captures as binaural sound a voice of a firstuser with microphones located at left and rights ears of a dummy head.The dummy head transmits the voice of the first user to a portableelectronic device with or near the first user. This portable electronicdevice transmits the binaural sound over one or more networks to anotherelectronic device being used by a second user to communicate with thefirst user during the electronic call.

Other example embodiments are discussed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments include methods and apparatus that capture andtransmit binaural sound with a dummy head during an electronic callbetween two or more users.

Telecommunications face many problems and challenges in providingthree-dimensional (3D) sound or binaural sound to users. These problemsinclude capturing and/or generating binaural sound during atelecommunication and providing this sound to the users. Conventionalsolutions convolve sound with one or more head-related transferfunctions (HRTFs) or other impulse responses. These conventionaltechniques are processor-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive toimplement. Further, some of these conventional techniques do notgenerate binaural sound that users accurately localize to externallocations. Example embodiments solve these problems and others.

Example embodiments provide fast and accurate binaural sound to usersduring telecommunications. Binaural sound is captured, transmitted, andprovided to the users without requiring extensive processing resourcesexpended by conventional techniques to convolve sound into binauralsound and to provide the sound to the users.

One example embodiment captures and provides binaural sound with a dummyhead during an electronic call between two users. As the first usertalks to the second user during the electronic call, microphones locatedin the ears of or at ear positions of or on opposite sides of the dummyhead capture the voice of the first user as binaural sound. The dummyhead then wirelessly transmits the voice back to a portable electronicdevice of the first user who is proximate to the dummy head. Theportable electronic device (PED) transmits the voice received from thedummy head to a portable electronic device of the second user while thefirst and second users engage in the electronic call. The portableelectronic device of the second user thus receives the voice of thefirst user as the binaural sound that was captured with the dummy head.Since the dummy head captures binaural sound, the second user hears thevoice of the first user as sound that externally localizes away fromsecond user. Extensive convolution or processing of the voice of thefirst user is not required, and the second user is also not required tohave custom or stock HRTFs since the voice of the first user is capturedas binaural sound with the dummy head.

FIG. 1 is a method to capture and provide binaural sound with a dummyhead during an electronic call between two users in accordance with anexample embodiment.

Block 100 states capture, with two microphones in ears of a dummy head,a voice of a first user as binaural sound during a telephone callbetween the first user and a second user.

One microphone is located inside, at, or near a left ear or ear area ofthe dummy head, and another microphone is located inside, at, or near aright ear or ear area of the dummy head. The microphones are separatedfrom each other with the microphone in the left ear capturing sound fora left-channel, and the microphone in the right ear capturing sound fora right-channel. For example, the dummy head is a sphere or ovoid with adiameter of about six inches, such as a diameter of many human heads.The spherical dummy head can have ears that are the shape of humanpinnae or a mound the size of a human pinnae. The microphones can bemounted at the surface of the sphere that has no ear or mound shapesince in some cases effective binaural sound can be captured bymicrophones that are approximately six inches apart. Such microphonescan capture sound with or without a head or dummy head or ovoidseparating the left microphone from the right microphone.

The microphones are separated from each other with different distances.For example, a distance equals or approximates a width of a human heador distance between two ears of a human head. In this way, the twomicrophones record sound with an interaural time difference (ITD) thatequals or approximates ITDs of a human head. For example, a distanceabout 22 centimeters (cm)-23 cm gives an ITD of about 660 microseconds(μm) when a sound source is 90° azimuth to the face of a listener (e.g.,away from the listener and existing on a line that passes through thetwo ears of the listener).

In an example embodiment, the dummy head has a size and a shape thatemulates, copies, or approximates a size and a shape of a human head. Inthis way, the two microphones capture head-related impulse responses(HRIRs) and/or binaural room impulse responses (BRIRs). The voice of thefirst user is thus not required to be convolved into binaural sound fromstereo sound or mono sound that is conventionally captured with aportable electronic device (e.g., a smartphone). Instead, the dummy headcaptures sound (including the voice of the first user) as binauralsound.

The microphones capture a voice of the user while the users talk to eachother during the telephone call. For example, when the first user isproximate to the dummy head or within a speaking range of the dummyhead, the microphones capture the voice as binaural sound and transmitthe voice to the PED with or near the first user. For instance, the userholds the portable electronic device or wears the portable electronicdevice. Alternatively, the portable electronic device is located nearthe user (e.g., located on a desk or table in a room or handbag with theperson).

Example embodiments can also be implemented with dummy heads havingother shapes, such as an object capturing ITDs, ILDs, and/or spectralcues for convolving sound into binaural sound for human hearing.

Block 110 states transmit, during the telephone call, the voice of thefirst user as the binaural sound captured with the two microphones fromthe dummy head to a portable electronic device with the first user.

While the first user is proximate to or within the speaking range of thedummy head, the dummy head captures sounds and sends them to theportable electronic device. These sounds (including the voice of thefirst user) are captured as binaural sound since the microphones arespaced apart on the dummy head.

The dummy head transmits the captured sound to the portable electronicdevice with one or more electronic devices, such as via a wirelesstransmitter or a wired connection between the dummy head and theportable electronic device. Further, the dummy head transmits the sounddirectly to the portable electronic device (e.g., using near-fieldcommunication (NFC), Bluetooth, a wired connection, or another wirelesstechnology). Alternatively, the dummy head transmits the soundindirectly to the portable electronic device (e.g., transmitting thesound to the portable electronic device via a router, modem, server, oranother electronic device).

Block 120 states transmit, during the telephone call, the voice of thefirst user as the binaural sound received from the dummy head from theportable electronic device of the first user to a portable electronicdevice with the second user so the second user hears the voice of thefirst user as the binaural sound that externally localizes outside of ahead of the second user.

The first portable electronic device transmits the sound captured withthe dummy head to the second portable electronic device via one or moreof a wired or wireless network (e.g., a cellular network, the Internet,or another network). For example, the telephone call is one of avoice-over internet protocol (VoIP) call, a cellular call, or a landlinecall. Consider a call using a CODEC that supports two channels or astereo call (e.g., OPUS, SIREN, or another HD Voice CODEC).

The second portable electronic device provides the voice of the firstuser to the second user as binaural sound that externally localizesoutside of the head of the second user. For example, the second userhears the voice through electronic earphones, earbuds, headphones,electronic glasses, a head-mounted display (HMD), an opticalhead-mounted display (OHMD), speakers executing cross-talk cancellation,or other electronic device that provides binaural or 3D sound to alistener.

FIG. 2 is a method to start and stop capturing and/or transmittingbinaural sound with a dummy head during an electronic call between twousers in accordance with an example embodiment.

Block 200 states provide an indication with a portable electronic deviceand/or dummy head that the dummy head is available to capture andtransmit binaural sound for an electronic call.

For example, the portable electronic device and/or the dummy headdisplays the indication as an icon, a symbol, words or text, a light, orother visible indicia. As another example, the portable electronicdevice and/or the dummy head provides sound to the user, and the soundindicates that the dummy head is available or activated or ready tocapture and transmit binaural sound for the electronic call.

The indicating sound also indicates to the user that the dummy head iscurrently or actively capturing and/or transmitting sound during theelectronic call. The indicating sound helps the user to determine whenthe dummy head is on and functioning to capture and transmit binauralsound during the electronic call.

For example, before, and/or during the electronic call, the portableelectronic device displays a green light or a small icon or image of thedummy head. The light serves as a visual indication to the user that thedummy head is available for the electronic call and/or activelycapturing and transmitting sound for the electronic call.

Block 210 states verify and/or authenticate the portable electronicdevice and/or the dummy head for the electronic call.

The portable electronic device and dummy head transmit signals to eachother and exchange data to verify, authenticate, and/or track eachother. Examples of the exchange include, but are not limited to,handshaking, passing keys or encryption/decryption data, transmittingunique identifications (including a password, a device network address,a device address or a device identifier, a username, etc.), andtransmitting location or coordinate information.

For example, the data exchange step enables the portable electronicdevice and the dummy head to perform one or more of tracking a locationof each other, identifying each other over a wireless network,encrypting and/or decrypting sound data being exchanged, determining asignal strength or availability for signal transmission, and determiningpacket loss or packet transmission quality.

Block 220 states receive and/or transmit a command and/or instruction tostart capturing and/or transmitting binaural sound for the electroniccall.

For example, the portable electronic device transmits a command to thedummy head that instructs the dummy head to activate, to power-on, towake from sleep, to activate or turn on its microphones, to startcapturing or monitoring binaural sound with its microphones, to startrecording or storing or monitoring the sound being captured, and/or tostart transmitting captured sound to the portable electronic deviceand/or another electronic device. As further examples, a user activatesa physical or virtual switch or button that instructs or commands thedummy head to perform one or more these tasks.

Block 230 states receive and/or transmit a command and/or instruction tostop capturing and/or transmitting binaural sound for the electroniccall.

For example, the portable electronic device transmits a command to thedummy head that instructs the dummy head to deactivate, to power-off, tosleep, to deactivate or turn off its microphones, to stop capturingbinaural sound with its microphones, to stop recording or storing ormonitoring the sound being captured, and/or to stop transmittingcaptured sound to the portable electronic device and/or anotherelectronic device. As further examples, a user activates a physical orvirtual switch or button that instructs or triggers or commands thedummy head to perform one or more these tasks.

Consider an example in which a user interacts with the portableelectronic device to activate and/or deactivate microphones in the dummyhead and/or portable electronic device. When the microphones in thedummy head activate to capture and transmit binaural sound during thetelephone call, the microphone(s) in the portable electronic devicemute, deactivate, turn off, silence, or stop. In this way, microphonesin the dummy head provide the sound for the telephone call as opposed tothe microphone(s) in the portable electronic device. This situationresolves a potential conflict wherein microphones at both the portableelectronic device and the dummy head simultaneously capture and transmitsound for the telephone call.

When the sound is captured with the microphones in the dummy head duringthe telephone call, the second users hears the voice of the first useras binaural sound that externally localizes away from the second user.The voice externally localizes to a location (e.g., a point or area)known as a sound localization point (SLP). The SLP for the second usercorresponds to a coordinate location that is based on a location of thefirst user with respect to the dummy head.

For example, if the first user is located at a spherical coordinatelocation of (r, θ, ϕ) with respect to the facing direction of the dummyhead (e.g., from the point of view of the dummy head), then the seconduser hears the voice of the first user at a SLP of (r, θ, ϕ). Forinstance, if the first user is located at (2 m, 45°, 0°) relative to theface of the dummy head, then the second user will hear the voice of thefirst user at (2 m, 45°, 0°). In this example, the distance of the SLPaway from the head of the second user is equal to a distance between ahead of the first user and the dummy human head during the telephonecall.

Consider an example in which a first and second user are engaged in aVoIP call. The first user is in a room that includes a dummy head. Thedummy head captures the voice of the first user and transmits the voiceback to a portable electronic device that is also in the room (e.g., asmartphone, HMD, OHMD, tablet computer, or another electronic devicewith or near the user). The portable electronic device performs thetelephone call with a second portable electronic device with the seconduser. In this example, the dummy head functions as an apparatus forcapturing the voice of the first user as binaural sound since theportable electronic device is not capable of or equipped for capturingsuch binaural sound. For example, a conventional smartphone is notcapable of capturing binaural sound since it is not shaped as a dummyhead that includes two microphones in its ears.

Consider an example in which two users communicate over a wirelessnetwork on an electronic call, and a dummy head at a location of thefirst user captures and transmits the voice of the first user back to asmartphone with the first user (or back to another PED with or proximateto the first user). The smartphone transmits a command to the dummy headto stop capturing the voice of the first user with the left and rightmicrophones in the dummy human head. In response to receiving thecommand, the electronic device switches or changes the voice of thefirst user from being captured with the left and right microphones inthe dummy human head to being captured with a microphone of thesmartphone. While the microphone in the smartphone captures the voice ofthe first user, the microphones in the dummy head are muted, inactive,off, prevented from transmitting the captured sound back to thesmartphone, or the sound from the dummy head is otherwise nottransmitted to the second user.

Consider an example in which the PED and/or the dummy head displays,during the electronic call, an icon. This icon indicates that the voiceof the first user is being captured with the left and right microphonesin the dummy human head and not with a microphone of the firstsmartphone. The icon provides the first user with a visual indication asto which electronic device is capturing and/or sending the sound for theelectronic call.

Consider an example in which the dummy head includes a light emittingdiode (LED). The LED turns on or turns a certain color to indicate thatthe voice of the first user is being captured with the two microphonesin the dummy human head and is being transmitted to the portableelectronic device with the first user.

Consider an example in which the portable electronic device and/or dummyhead receives an instruction to capture the voice of the first user withthe two microphones in the dummy head. In response to receiving theinstruction, a microphone in the PED with the first user mutes,deactivates, turns off, or disables, and the microphones in the dummyhead are enabled to begin capturing sound. The result of the response isthat the PED with the second user receives the voice of the first userthat was captured by the two microphones in the dummy human head and notcaptured by the microphone in the PED with the first user.

Consider an example in which the PED with the first user receives aninstruction or command from the first user to stop capturing the voiceof the first user as the binaural sound with the dummy human head. ThePED receives further instruction to start capturing and transmitting thevoice of the first user as one of stereo sound or mono sound with amicrophone located in the portable electronic device with the firstuser. For instance, the first user provides the command as a voicecommand, a gesture command, or a command from interaction with a displayor other user interface of the portable electronic device.

Consider an example in which the portable electronic device and/or thedummy head detects a distance between the dummy human head and theportable electronic device with the first user or the first user. Forexample, the detection of the distance is performed with one or more ofa proximity sensor, detection of wireless signal strength, triangulationof wireless signals, detection of a chip (e.g., radio frequencyidentification or RFID chip), or other method or apparatus. In responseto detecting the distance, the PED and/or dummy head automaticallyswitches the processing of the voice being transmitted to the seconduser. The result of the switch is that the voice of the first user isnot transmitted as binaural sound and instead is transmitted as one ofstereo or mono sound. For instance, the switch executes when thedistance is less than one meter (e.g., switch when the first user talksduring an electronic call while being less than one meter away from thedummy head).

Other example embodiments detect distance as well. Consider an examplein which the portable electronic device and/or dummy head detects whenthe first user is no longer proximate to the dummy human head. Forexample, the first user is no longer proximate to the dummy head whenone of the following occurs: the first user is farther than apredetermined distance (e.g., 2 meters, three meters, 4 meters, 5meters, 6 meters, or 7 meters), the dummy head no longer detects orhears or captures the voice of the first user, a wireless signalstrength drops or falls below a predetermined level, or the first usermoves into another room. In response to detecting when the first user isno longer proximate to the dummy human head, the voice of the first useris switched or changed. The result of the switch is that the voice ischanged from being transmitted as the binaural sound to beingtransmitted as one of stereo sound or mono sound.

Consider an example in which the dummy hand also serves as a stand orresting place for headphones of the user, and the dummy head includesone or more sensors (e.g., a sensor located in or near one of the earsor on the top of the head of the dummy). The sensor activates when theheadphones are removed from or placed on the dummy human head. Inresponse to sensing when the headphones are removed from the dummy humanhead, the dummy human head starts or enables capturing the voice of thefirst user for the telephone call. Also in response to the sensing, thevoice of the first user captured with the left and right microphones ofthe dummy head starts or activates transmitting back to the smartphoneof the first user.

Consider a similar example in which the headphones are returned to reston the dummy head or placed such as to be worn by the dummy head (e.g.,with the headphones covering an ear or ear area of the dummy head). Theone or more sensors are triggered to cause an event (e.g., a telephonecall is terminated or answered/established; the microphones at the dummystop capturing sound; a microphone at a PED begins or resumes capturingsound; microphones included in the headphones begin capturing sound; acamera in the dummy head is activated or deactivated; or another eventoccurs).

Consider an example in which multiple users (e.g., more than two users)engage in a VR teleconference call while each user wears a HMD. Theusers meet in a VR chat room for a board meeting. Each user has a dummyhead at his or her respective physical location. Each dummy headcaptures the voice of its respective user and transmits the voice inbinaural sound back to the HMD worn by the user. The HMDs of each userthen transmit their voice as binaural sound to each other user duringthe VR teleconference.

FIG. 3 is a dummy head 300 with a left microphone 310A located in a leftear 320A and a right microphone 310B located in a right ear 320B inaccordance with an example embodiment.

In an example embodiment, the dummy head 300 includes a torso (notshown). The torso is a partial torso (such as stopping above the chest)or a full torso that extends below the chest. In another exampleembodiment, the dummy head has no torso (such as not having a torsobelow the neck as shown in FIG. 3). In another example embodiment, thedummy head is a part of a robot, such as a self-moving or automatedrobot (e.g., a robot shaped as a human). For illustration, the figuresshow a dummy head without a torso.

In an example embodiment, the dummy heads and torsos are made to copy,approximate, resemble, emulate, or represent a head and torso of aperson. The head and torso can have generic or non-descript humanfeatures (such as eyes, ears, nose, hair, chin, etc.) or have specifichuman features to resemble an actual person (such as a dummy head thatlooks like a real or particular person) or have a general circular oroval shape (e.g., with a smooth surface with limited, nonspecific, or nofacial features). A size and shape of the dummy head and torso can copy,approximate, resemble, emulate, or represent a size and shape of a headand torso of a human person, including a specific individual. In thismanner, the dummy head can look like a specific human being or a generichuman to capture binaural sound in the form of head-related impulseresponses (HRIRs) and/or binaural room impulse responses (BRIRs).

In an example embodiment, the dummy head has a size, and acousticreflectivity, of a human head and is made of one or more of silicone,rubber, pliable polymer, paper, moldable material, foam, wood, plastic,or another material.

Example embodiments include dummy heads that are inflatable, disposable,or reusable. For example, a 3D printed dummy head is printed as a hollowor empty head with a thin outer structure such that the printing processis relatively quick and inexpensive. After the printing microphones areinstalled or placed at the ears to capture binaural sound.

Consider an example in which a user provides or transmits to a friend a3D image, one or more pictures or photos, or computer model of his headand/or face. With the image and model information, the 3D printer of thefriend prints a 3D dummy head that copies or simulates the head of theuser. The printed dummy head is positioned over a base or stand (or isself-standing), and left and right microphones are positioned in theears of the dummy head. When the user places a telephone call to thefriend, the friend speaks to the dummy head (printed in the likeness ofthe user) that, in turn, captures binaural sound in the room with thefriend, such as the friend speaking and other sound sources having ahigher frequency than speech. The captured sound is provided directly tothe user with little or no convolving. As such, the user receives soundduring the telephone call that is already captured per his/herhead-related impulse responses since the dummy head causes similarimpulse responses or copies or simulates the head of the user.Alternatively, the user transmits or provides his or her HRTFs or HRIRsto the friend to convolve the voice of the friend prior to transmissionto the user.

Example embodiment dummy heads include a base 360 having a circularshape, square shape, or other shape. Example embodiment dummy headsand/or torsos are produced with a 3D printer from a 3D scan of a head orhead and torso of the user, from a 3D model resulting from a scan, fromphoto or video images, or from other sources of information.

For example, base 360 includes a flat bottom that supports the dummyhuman head in an upright position. The base and/or head portion includeone or more electronic components, such as those discussed in FIG. 4. Anexample embodiment includes a base that has a support 370 connecting thedummy head to the base 360. The support 370 is vertically adjustable orextendable as shown by the dashed vertical arrow beside the support 370.The purpose of adjustment is enable the height of the head to be set toan eye-level of the user or to another height relative to the head ofthe user as the dummy head base 360 rests on tables of different heightsor on a floor. The adjustment of the height of the head is in theinterest of the experience of the second user or remote party listeningto the binaural sound captured with the dummy head. For example if thehead of the dummy captures the voice of the user from a height that istoo far below the eye-level of the user then the remote listener ofbinaural sound will experience the localization at an uncomfortable orunfamiliar elevation.

In an example embodiment, the support 370 allows the dummy head toswivel or rotate on more than one axis (shown by the two ellipticaldashed arrows). The rotation about the axes allow the orientation of thehead to change relative to the base 360. Changing the dummy headorientation causes the remote party listening to the localization of thesound or voice of the user to hear a change in the azimuth and/orelevation of the origin of the voice or sound captured by the dummyhead.

As an example, the support 370 is collapsible and extendible to adjustthe height of the head. For instance, the support 370 is formed ofmultiple telescopic sections that collapse and expand to change theheight. As another example, the head includes a hollow portion thatreceives the support as the head moves toward and away from the base 360to adjust the height of the head.

The left microphone 310A captures sound at the left ear 320A of thedummy head, and a right microphone 3106 captures sound at the right ear320B of the dummy head. These two microphones capture binaural sound andare positioned or built on, near, or inside the ears of the dummy head.

An example embodiment dummy head includes an additional referencemicrophone 330 that records and captures a mono signal. Sound iscaptured from the pair of microphones 310A and 310B, and simultaneouslycaptured with the reference microphone 330. The reference microphone 330is flush-mounted on the dummy head or extended away from the head. Thereference microphone captures a room impulse response (RIR) of theenvironment for the captured binaural sound at the time of the binauralsound capture and at the location and orientation of the dummy headduring the binaural capture. The captured RIR provides information toallow filtering the RIR from the captured binaural sound at a later timeor in real-time in order to deliver a dry or more anechoic binauralsound. The reference microphone 330 is activated or deactivateddependently or independently of the microphones 310A and 310B.

In one example embodiment, the two microphones 310A, 310B communicate orelectrically connect with a port or connector 340 via wirelesscommunication or electrical wires. The port or connector 340 provides alocation to communicate with the portable electronic device and/orprovides a location for receiving power. For example, the port orconnector serves one or more functions that include providing electricalpower to the dummy head and providing audio input/output signals to/fromthe dummy head.

In one example embodiment, the dummy head includes electronics 350, suchas one or more of a controller or processor, a memory, one or morelights (such as light emitting diodes, LEDs), a display, a userinterface (such as a network interface, a graphical user interface, anatural language user interface, a natural user interface, a phonecontrol interface, a reality user interface, a kinetic user interface, atouchless user interface, an augmented reality user interface, and/or aninterface that combines reality and virtuality), a wirelesstransmitter/receiver, et al. For example, the left and right microphonescapture binaural sound, the reference microphone captures sound, and theelectronics wirelessly transmit the sounds to an electronic device (suchas a remote computer, smartphone, audio recorder, server, portableelectronic device, etc.) and/or store the captured sound in the localmemory in the dummy head such as flash memory.

Example embodiments include dummy heads wherein microphones 310A, 310Bare either built-in or removable microphones at the ears of the dummyhead. When the user removes the headphones from the dummy (for example,to wear on himself), a sensor is triggered that activates themicrophones in the dummy head, and de-actives other microphones that maybe active (e.g., a microphone in the portable electronic device).

FIG. 4 is a dummy head 400 with electronic components in accordance withan example embodiment.

The dummy head 400 includes one or more of a processor and/or controller410, a memory 420, a wireless transmitter and/or wireless receiver 430,a power supply 440, microphones 450, a display and/or LEDs 460, one ormore sensors 470, and speakers 480.

One or more of these electronic components are fabricated on one or moreprinted circuit boards located on or inside the dummy head. For example,the wireless transmitter/receiver is located on a printed circuit boardwith one being inside the left ear with a left-channel microphone andone being inside the right ear with a right-channel microphone.

For example, the processor 410 communicates with memory 420 that storesinstructions and/or data to execute one or more example embodiments. Thepower supply 440 provides alternating current (AC) and/or direct current(DC). For example, the power supply includes one or more batteries. Themicrophones include a microphone in or at the left ear and anothermicrophone in or at the right ear. The microphones can also include areference microphone or other microphone. The sensors can include aproximity sensor, RFID sensor or tag, pressure sensor, light sensor, NFCchip, infrared sensor, or other type of sensor.

FIG. 5 is an electronic system 500 in accordance with an exampleembodiment.

The electronic system 500 includes portable electronic devices (PEDs)510A and 5106, and dummy heads 530A and 530B that communicate over oneor more networks 540.

The portable electronic device 510A and 5106 include a processor orprocessing unit 512, memory 514, display 516, dummy head software or DHS518 (such as software to execute one or more example embodimentsdiscussed herein), and other electronic components 520 (such as one ormore of a microphone, transmitter/receiver, sensor, speakers, audiostorage memory, power, etc.). Two PEDs and two dummy heads are shown,but example embodiments include electronic systems or computer systemswith many more, such as hundreds, thousands, or millions of PEDs anddummy heads.

The PEDs include but are not limited to headphones, earphones, orearbuds (shown as electronic components 520). Alternatively oradditionally, the PEDs provide binaural sound to the user via separateheadphones, earphones, or earbuds 550. For instance, headphones orearbuds 550 wirelessly communicate with the PED 510A to provide binauralsound to the user during the electronic call.

A portable electronic device includes, but is not limited to, handheldportable electronic devices (HPEDs), wearable electronic glasses,watches, wearable electronic devices (WEDs) or wearables, smartearphones or hearables, voice control devices (VCD), portable computingdevices, portable electronic devices with cellular or mobile phonecapabilities or subscriber identification module (SIM) cards, digitalcameras, portable computers (such as tablet computers, desktopcomputers, and notebook computers), smartphones, appliances (includinghome appliances), head mounted displays (HMDs), optical head mounteddisplays (OHMDs), personal digital assistants (PDAs), headphones, andother portable electronic devices.

The network 540 can include one or more of a cellular network, a publicswitch telephone network, the Internet, a local area network (LAN), awide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a personalarea network (PAN), home area network (HAM), and other public and/orprivate networks. Additionally, the electronic devices need notcommunicate with each other through a network. As one example,electronic devices couple together via one or more wires, such as adirect wired-connection. As another example, electronic devicescommunicate directly through a wireless protocol, such as Bluetooth,near field communication (NFC), or other wireless communicationprotocol.

The processor or processing unit 512 includes a processor (such as acentral processing unit, CPU, digital signal processor (DSP),microprocessor, microcontrollers, field programmable gate arrays (FPGA),application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), etc.) for controllingthe overall operation of memory (such as random access memory (RAM) fortemporary data storage, read only memory (ROM) for permanent datastorage, and firmware). The processing units and/or digital signalprocessor (DSP) communicate with each other and memory and performoperations and tasks that implement one or more blocks of the flowdiagram discussed herein. The memory, for example, stores applications,data, programs, algorithms (including software to implement or assist inimplementing example embodiments) and other data.

The processor or processing unit 512 can include a digital signalprocessor (DSP). For example, a processor or DSP executes a convolvingprocess with HRIRs retrieved from memory (or other transfer functions orimpulse responses) to process sound so that the sound is adjusted,placed, or localized for a listener. Such convolution occurs when, forexample, the dummy head does not capture binaural sound. Additionally,binaural sound captured with the dummy head is further processed and/orconvolved.

For example, the DSP converts mono or stereo sound to binaural sound sothe binaural sound externally localizes to the user. For example, theDSP receives binaural sound, moves the localization point of thebinaural sound, adds or removes impulse responses (such as RIRs), andperform other functions.

For example, an electronic device or software program convolves and/orprocesses the sound captured at the microphones of the dummy head. Theelectronic device then provides the convolved sound to the listener sothat the listener hears and localizes the sound. The listenerexperiences a resulting localization externally (such as at a soundlocalization point (SLP) associated with near-field HRTFs and far-fieldHRTFs) or internally (such as monaural sound or stereo sound).

Sounds are provided to the listener through speakers, such asheadphones, earphones, stereo speakers, etc. The sound is alsotransmitted, stored, further processed, and provided to another user,electronic device or to a software program or process (such as anintelligent user agent, bot, intelligent personal assistant, or anothersoftware program).

As used herein, a “dummy human head” replicates, emulates, orapproximates a human head and includes human facial features, such asone or more of ears and/or pinnae, a nose, eyes, and a mouth.

As used herein, an “electronic call” or a “telephone call” areconnections over a wired and/or wireless network between a callingperson or user and a called person or user. Telephone calls can uselandlines, mobile phones, satellite phones, HPEDs, voice personalassistants (VPAs), computers, and other portable and non-portableelectronic devices. Further, telephone calls can be placed through oneor more of a public switched telephone network, the internet, andvarious types of networks (such as Wide Area Networks or WANs, LocalArea Networks or LANs, Personal Area Networks or PANs, Campus AreaNetworks or CANs, etc.). Telephone calls include other types oftelephony including Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls, internettelephone calls, in-game calls, telepresence, etc.

As used herein, the word “proximate” means near. For example, a userproximate to a dummy head is located within a talking range of the dummyhead, such as being located within 10 meters or less of the dummy head.

As used herein, a “user” or a “listener” is a person (i.e., a humanbeing). These terms can also be a software program (including an IPA orIUA), hardware (such as a processor or processing unit), an electronicdevice or a computer (such as a speaking robot or avatar shaped like ahuman with microphones at its ears).

In some example embodiments, the methods illustrated herein and data andinstructions associated therewith, are stored in respective storagedevices that are implemented as computer-readable and/ormachine-readable storage media, physical or tangible media, and/ornon-transitory storage media. These storage media include differentforms of memory including semiconductor memory devices such as DRAM, orSRAM, Erasable and Programmable Read-Only Memories (EPROMs),Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read-Only Memories (EEPROMs) andflash memories; magnetic disks such as fixed and removable disks; othermagnetic media including tape; optical media such as Compact Disks (CDs)or Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs). Note that the instructions of thesoftware discussed above can be provided on computer-readable ormachine-readable storage medium, or alternatively, can be provided onmultiple computer-readable or machine-readable storage media distributedin a large system having possibly plural nodes. Such computer-readableor machine-readable medium or media is (are) considered to be part of anarticle (or article of manufacture). An article or article ofmanufacture can refer to a manufactured single component or multiplecomponents.

Blocks and/or methods discussed herein can be executed and/or made by auser, a user agent (including machine learning agents and intelligentuser agents), a software application, an electronic device, a computer,firmware, hardware, a process, a computer system, and/or an intelligentpersonal assistant. Furthermore, blocks and/or methods discussed hereincan be executed automatically with or without instruction from a user.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method executed by one or more electronicdevices that provide binaural sound during a telephone call between afirst user with a first smartphone and a second user with a secondsmartphone, the method comprising: capturing, with a left-channelmicrophone located inside a left ear of a dummy human head and aright-channel microphone located inside a right ear of the dummy humanhead, a voice of the first user while the first user is proximate to thedummy human head; transmitting, during the telephone call and with awireless transmitter located inside the dummy human head, the voice ofthe first user captured with the left and right microphones to the firstsmartphone with the first user that is proximate to the dummy humanhead; and transmitting, during the telephone call and with the firstsmartphone, the voice of the first user received from the dummy humanhead over a network and to the second smartphone with the second user sothat the second user hears the voice of the first user as the binauralsound that externally localizes to the second user.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising: deactivating a microphone of the firstsmartphone so the voice of the first user is captured with the left andright microphones of the dummy human head instead of the microphone ofthe first smartphone.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:providing the voice of the first user as the binaural sound to thesecond user that externally localizes at a sound localization point(SLP) that is a distance away from a head of the second user, whereinthe distance of the SLP away from the head of the second user is equalto a distance between a head of the first user and the dummy human headduring the telephone call.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the dummyhuman head has a flat base that supports the dummy human head in anupright position, and the wireless transmitter is located inside thedummy head and on a printed circuit board along with the left-channelmicrophone or the right-channel microphone.
 5. The method of claim 1further comprising: sensing, with a sensor in the dummy human head, whenheadphones are removed from the dummy human head; and activating, inresponse to sensing when the headphones are removed from the dummy humanhead, the dummy human head to enable capturing the voice of the firstuser for the telephone call and to activate transmitting the voice ofthe first user captured with the left and right microphones back to thefirst smartphone.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:receiving, from the first smartphone and during the telephone call, acommand to stop capturing the voice of the first user with the left andright microphones in the dummy human head; and switching, during thetelephone call and in response to the command, the voice of the firstuser from being captured with the left and right microphones in thedummy human head to being captured with a microphone of the firstsmartphone without using the dummy human head and transmitted from thefirst smartphone to the second smartphone.
 7. The method of claim 1,further comprising: displaying, on a display of the first smartphone andduring the telephone call, an icon that indicates that the voice of thefirst user is being captured with the left and right microphones in thedummy human head and not with a microphone of the first smartphone.
 8. Anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructionsthat one or more electronic devices execute to provide binaural soundcaptured with a dummy human head during a telephone call between a firstuser and a second user, the one or more electronic devices executing theinstructions to execute a method comprising: capturing, with twomicrophones separated from each other inside left and right ears of thedummy human head, a voice of the first user as the binaural sound duringthe telephone call between the first user and the second user while thefirst user is within speaking range of the dummy human head;transmitting, during the telephone call, the voice of the first user asthe binaural sound captured with the two microphones from the dummyhuman head to a portable electronic device with the first user while thefirst user is within the speaking range of the dummy head; andtransmitting, during the telephone call and over a wireless network, thevoice of the first user as the binaural sound received from the dummyhuman head from the portable electronic device of the first user to aportable electronic device with the second user so the second user hearsthe voice of the first user as the binaural sound that externallylocalizes outside of a head of the second user.
 9. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising:displaying, with a light emitting diode (LED) on the dummy human head, alight that indicates that the voice of the first user is being capturedwith the two microphones in the dummy human head and being transmittedto the portable electronic device with the first user.
 10. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 furthercomprising: receiving an instruction to capture the voice of the firstuser with the two microphones in the dummy head; and disabling, duringthe telephone call and in response to receiving the instruction, amicrophone in the portable electronic device with the first user so theportable electronic device with the second user receives the voice ofthe first user that was captured by the two microphones in the dummyhuman head and not captured by the microphone in the portable electronicdevice with the first user.
 11. The non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium of claim 8, wherein the dummy human head has a size and ashape of a human head to capture the voice of the first user as thebinaural sound, and the dummy human head includes a rigid base with aflat bottom that supports the dummy human head in an upright position.12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8further comprising: executing, during the telephone call, an instructionfrom the first user to stop capturing the voice of the first user as thebinaural sound with the dummy human head and to start capturing andtransmitting the voice of the first user as one of stereo sound or monosound with a microphone located in the portable electronic device withthe first user.
 13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumof claim 8 further comprising: detecting a distance between the dummyhuman head and the portable electronic device with the first user; andautomatically switching the voice of the first user from beingtransmitted as the binaural sound to being transmitted as one of stereoor mono sound when the distance is less than one meter.
 14. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 furthercomprising: displaying, before the telephone call commences, anindication on a display of the portable electronic device of the firstuser to indicate that the dummy human head is available to capturebinaural sound for the telephone call.
 15. A method executed by aportable electronic device of a first user to provide binaural sound toa portable electronic device of a second user during a telephone callbetween the first user and the second user, the method comprising:deactivating, during the telephone call, a microphone in the portableelectronic device of the first user to prevent the portable electronicdevice of the first user from capturing sound; receiving, at a wirelessreceiver in the portable electronic device of the first user during thetelephone call and via a wireless transmission from a dummy human headthat is proximate to the first user, a voice of the first user asbinaural sound captured with microphones located at the ears of thedummy human head; and transmitting, from a wireless transmitter in theportable electronic device of the first user during the telephone call,the voice of the first user as the binaural sound to the portableelectronic device of the second user so the second user hears the voiceof the first user as the binaural sound during the telephone callbetween the first user and the second user.
 16. The method of claim 15further comprising: receiving, at the portable electronic device of thefirst user, an instruction to stop transmitting the voice of the firstuser as the binaural sound to the portable electronic device of thesecond user; and activating, in response to receiving the instruction,the microphone in the portable electronic device of the first user sothe voice of the first user transmits as one of stereo sound or monosound to the portable electronic device of the second user during thetelephone call between the first user and the second user.
 17. Themethod of claim 15 further comprising: displaying, with the portableelectronic device of the first user, an icon that indicates to the firstuser that the dummy human head is available to capture sound for thetelephone call between the first user and the second user.
 18. Themethod of claim 15 further comprising: detecting, with the portableelectronic device of the first user, when the first user is no longerproximate to the dummy human head; and switching, by the portableelectronic device of the first user and in response to detecting whenthe first user is no longer proximate to the dummy human head, the voiceof the first user from being transmitted as the binaural sound to beingtransmitted as one of stereo sound or mono sound.
 19. The method ofclaim 15 further comprising: transmitting, from the portable electronicdevice of the first user and to the dummy human head, an instruction tostop capturing and transmitting the voice of the first user during thetelephone call between the first user and the second user.
 20. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the portable electronic device of the firstuser is a head mounted display worn on a head of the first user, and thedummy human head is a self-moving robot.